The present invention relates to a blow mould assembly for producing plastic containers. Such blow mould assemblies have been known from the prior art for a long time. These blow mould assemblies are here components of blow moulding stations, within which the plastic preforms are expanded into plastic containers. To this end, these blow mould assemblies usually include a blow mould, the inner wall of which is adapted to the contour of the container to be produced. The preforms are expanded into plastic containers by means of air pressure.
The blow moulds are here replaceably arranged in blow mould carriers or master moulds. If these blow moulds wear out, but also when a change to another container type is to be made, said blow moulds are here removed from the blow mould carriers and are replaced with different blow moulds. Such a replacement of the blow moulds is a relatively complex procedure in the prior art. Thus, to start with, several fastening bolts have to be released and then claws or locking brackets have to be pivoted out of the way in order to release the blow mould. Also the reassembly of a blow mould is a relatively complex procedure. At times during the installation, the locking brackets hamper the insertion of the blow moulds into the mould carrier or the master mould and/or the mould shell, which insertion has to be carried out first.
The present invention will be described primarily with reference to the arrangement or fastening of a blow mould on a mould carrier shell, however, it is to be noted that the invention is also applicable to the assembly of a blow mould on a master mould, to the assembly of a master mould on a mould carrier shell or a blow mould carrier, and also to the assembly of a mould carrier shell or a master mould on a blow mould carrier. Therefore, apart from the terms master mould, blow mould carrier or blow mould shell, also the term blow mould holder will be used below, which may refer both to a master mould, a blow mould shell and a blow mould carrier. In this context, the term blow mould holder therefore refers to an element which at least partially receives a further element, i.e. the blow mould holder is in particular an element that receives a further element.
Further, apart from the terms blow mould, master mould and mould carrier shell, also the term blow mould unit is used, which can refer both to the blow mould and to the master mould as well as to the blow mould shell, which respectively form a cavity that is used for the expansion of the plastic preform. In the case of the master mould or the blow mould shell, the cavity is used for receiving a blow mould and therefore directly for expanding the plastic preform. Thus, the blow mould unit is in particular an element that is radially disposed within the blow mould holder and is received by said blow mould holder.
DE 10 2005 035 233 A1 describes an apparatus for retaining blow mould segments. Here, an arresting member is provided which is designed both for providing a positive retention and for providing a non-positive retention of the blow mould segment. More specifically, a lever is provided here, by means of which an arresting member can be displaced in order to release the arrest of a blow mould. However, this device, too, may hamper the insertion of blow mould segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,472 B2 describes a quick-change blow mould assembly. This assembly, too, includes a carrier plate and a blow mould half that can be fixed to the carrier plate.